SUNDAY SMARTY SHARE from SHARE Charlotte: Land Conservancies

By Smarty Guest Blogger, Kimberly Paulk, Senior Connector at SHARECharlotte.com, a free, easy and local website that makes it easy to learn about and engage with our local nonprofits

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. Albert Einstein

The spot where my neighborhood sits used to be a forest. In fact, I have a friend who used to hike through its dense clusters of trees and shrubs, following the line of a small brook that still intersects the property.

The Charlotte area has grown (and is still growing) quickly. Chances are right now you’re sitting somewhere that used to be wide open space. The truth is, that open space is getting harder to find. As new neighbors move into our beautiful, dynamic area we welcome them, but at the same time we are at risk of losing natural areas.

Land conservancies work to find balance between growth and conservation. One local nonprofit working on this is Davidson Lands Conservancy, a nonprofit land trust that works with willing landowners to save land in the Davidson, North Carolina area. They work to protect valuable land, educate the public about the benefits of conservation, and advocate on behalf of our ecosystems. For the younger set they partner with Woodlands Discovery to host Worlds of Wonder (WOW)em—a free nature discovery program for families.

My suggestion is to take just a little time this weekend and spend it in an open space. Somewhere you aren’t penned in by concrete. Somewhere you can hear the leaves rustle. It will help you remember why it’s important to preserve these special places. Then, check out the volunteer opportunity below. You can get more information on this organization at SHARE Charlotte.

Run for Green: Individual or groups 12 and over needed for a variety of tasks and time slots between 6:00 AM and 1:00 PM, Saturday, 9/20 at The Village Green in Davidson (or sign up to run in the 5K, 10K or half-marathon).